Torrent ducks use their sleek lined body to dive into fast flowing rivers to catch insect prey such as stonefly larvae, mayfly larvae, caddisfly larvae, and other larvae, small fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates. Torrent ducks may also wait underneath a powerful waterfall to catch prey. Torrent ducks use several techniques to bring food from different depths of the river, including kicking it up with their feet. They will also scavenge and wade in the more shallow areas of the river in eddies and underneath rocks. A wide and shallow stretch of river will produce the most abundant amount of resources for the ducks. Young ducklings are believed to have the same diet as their parents.
Animal Foods: fish; insects; mollusks; terrestrial worms; aquatic crustaceans
Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore , Eats non-insect arthropods)
Rights Holder: The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Bibliographic Citation: Lee, J. 2007. "Merganetta armata" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at
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